


The Best Papa

by Anica



Series: Hanni-verse [20]
Category: Hannibal (TV)
Genre: Established Relationship, European Fairy Tales, Floor is Lava, Fluff, M/M, Mpreg, Nervousness, Post Mpreg, Shock, Will Knows
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-02-14
Updated: 2014-02-14
Packaged: 2018-01-12 09:14:32
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,964
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1184491
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Anica/pseuds/Anica
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Prompt: Past!Fic : Will doesn't know how to tell Hannibal he's pregnant. He doesn't know how Hannibal will react.</p>
            </blockquote>





	The Best Papa

**Author's Note:**

> To and for the awesomely wonderful HixyStix who puts up with my rough drafts and got the ball rolling on this. This was seconded by a few fabulous readers! 
> 
> Sorry, no chocolate or flowers ... but tons of sweetness. Happy V-day.

“Hannibal?” Will Graham nudges the other man. “Are you sleeping?” 

“Really, Will?” Hannibal lets out a long-suffering sigh. “What a ridiculous question.” 

“Sorry,” Will grumbles and rolls over, turning his back on the doctor. 

“Now, don’t sulk,” Hannibal crawls over to him, pressing his chest against the other’s back. “I’m sorry. What is it?” 

“Nothing,” is the only response he gets, grumbled through gritted teeth. 

“Will, please.” Hannibal kisses his ear. “It has been a long day and if you were anybody else, I would have cut you ear to ear.” 

“Is that supposed to make me feel better?” Will can’t help grinning in the dark. 

“It got you to smile,” Hannibal chuckles, recognizing the action just from Will's tone. “Now, love, tell me what’s on your mind.” 

“It’s stupid.” Will shakes his head. “Just forget it.” 

“Let me be the judge of that,” Hannibal’s arms grow tighter around him. “Tell me.” 

“I …” Will groans, feeling silly. “I was wondering if… Christ, I feel stupid now. Did you ever want children?” 

“Children?” Hannibal leans on his elbow and tries to catch a look at Will for a hint as to what the young man is thinking. “Where is this coming from?” 

“Just forget it,” Will sighs, turning towards Hannibal. “I’m sleep deprived and don’t know what I’m saying.” 

“Oh, good,” Hannibal chuckles and pulls Will closer. “I was worried it was your way of saying you wanted a new dog.” 

Will glares at the older man but the look is lost in the darkness. 

*** 

Will nervously drums his fingers on his desk. It has been just over a week since he found out he is pregnant. He isn’t as shocked as he thought he would be. Somehow, he thinks he must have known he was one of those men able to conceive and carry a child. It feels sort of right. Right and terrifying. 

A week of knowing. A week of being terrified. A week and he still can’t figure out a way to tell Hannibal. 

And maybe he shouldn’t tell Hannibal. 

Maybe he should run, change his name, and raise his baby far away from the cannibalistic serial killer. 

“Good afternoon.” The cannibalistic serial killer in question bends forward and drops a light kiss on his lips. “You look troubled. I thought Jack’s latest case was closed.” 

“It is,” Will sighs, standing up. “Do you want to have lunch here or somewhere on campus?” 

“You choose,” the doctor says, brushing his knuckles over Will's cheek. “Maybe somewhere we could talk if that’s what you need.” 

“You’re not my doctor,” Will mutters, getting a frown in response. 

“Did I do something to upset you?” He asks, not allowing Will to pull away. 

“No,” Will shakes his head. “That was… I’m sorry. Can we just start over?” 

Hands snake around his waist and Hannibal pulls him close. A chaste kiss and a smile came next. 

“Good afternoon, Will. Ready for lunch?” 

“Can we eat in the park?” Will asks, giving the older man a shy smile. 

“Certainly,” Hannibal says, cupping his face and pulling him in for another kiss, not fooled for a moment by the smile. 

*** 

They sit on a bench across from a playground. It’s noon on a weekday and there’s only a few kids playing on the jungle gym and a couple of girls playing tag, running between the swing set and the slide for refuge as the dreaded ‘it’ chases them between holy grounds. 

“Did you ever play tag?’ Will asks, for lack of a better way to broach the subject of children. 

“No, I came into being as a middle aged man,” the doctor tells him, without a trace of smile. 

“Sometimes I think you were,” Will sighs and focuses on his sandwich. 

“I played tag, hide and seek and games that were completely made up with rules that only applied when they were beneficiary to me,” Hannibal offers, deciding that the younger man must just want to know about him, and if that was all it took to make Will smile, then he was willing to do it. “I also tied my mother’s headscarf around my shoulders and pretended to be a knight. We had no superheroes. I wore it so often that a hole developed where I used to tie it. Mother declared it officially mine and it was much easier to tie with the hole there.” 

“Did you fight dragons?” Will asked, smiling at the image of a little blond boy with a scarf and what must have definitely been a branch as a sword. Maybe even a homemade bow-and-arrow set hanging off his shoulder. 

“Baba Yaga,” Hannibal corrects him. “A witch that ate little children.” 

“Children? How horrible!” Will says, grinning as his shoulders shook with suppressed laughter. “I’m sure you won every time.” 

“But of course, what is an old woman compared to a young knight?” Hannibal tells him. “It was Koschei The Deathless that was my arch nemesis. Mother said when you get to be that old, there is nothing left to do but be wicked.” 

“How do you kill someone that is deathless?” Will asks, chuckling at how serious Hannibal tried to look. 

“By destroying his soul, which was hidden in needle that was inside an egg which was in duck that had been placed in a hare-” 

 

“- A hare?” Will raises an amused brow. 

“You and I were read very different stories growing up,” Hannibal points out. 

“You’re right,” Will laughs. “Inside a needle, that was in an egg, that was in a duck, which was in a hare. Go on.” 

“Well the hare was inside a chest,” Hannibal ignores Will’s frown and continues. “The chest was buried and I spent many days of my youth digging up my parents' property looking for it.” 

“Oh, they must have been so pleased about that,” Will laughs. 

“Father made me stop once he tripped over one while calling me in for supper but I still fought the good fight whenever I could.” 

“I see how your arch nemesis would have been more difficult to destroy than an old witch though I still imagine you won every fight,” Will says, enjoying the youthful smile that tugged at the older man’s mouth as he recounted his adventures. 

“Mortally wounded a few times, but I died knowing I made the world a safer place for my sister,” Hannibal tells him and even though there is a note of sadness, he smiles at the fond memory. “Once she was old enough to play along she would save me with a kiss.” 

“You must have been an amazing big brother,” Will tells him and watches him out of the corner of his eyes as he focuses back on the children. “Have you considered what kind of father you would be?” 

“Of course not.” Hannibal shook his head. “Until now, I have never been in a relationship that was anything beyond the physical and after years of working in the medical profession, I have little hope for the next generation. It would be cruel to bring a child into this world.” 

“Cruel?” Will repeats, the food in his mouth turning bitter and he found it hard to swallow. 

“You’ve seen the worst this society has to offer, myself included, do you not feel the same way?” 

Will was silent. He checks his watch and gets up. 

“You might be right about that. I have to go,” Will tells him, looking back at the playground. “I’ll see you tomorrow.” 

“I was hoping you would join me for dinner tonight,” Hannibal says, rising as well. 

“I have papers to grade,” Will shrugs. “Sorry.” 

“Tomorrow then,” Hannibal says, nodding, feeling like he is missing something but not knowing what. 

“Thanks for lunch,” Will says and manages to give him a smile before walking away. 

Hannibal frowns. Will was aware that Hannibal didn’t like public displays of affection, but usually at least tried to sneak a kiss. If not, then he would slide his hand into the doctor’s to give it a squeeze. He never just walks away. 

*** 

Will had never canceled dinner before. A few times he couldn’t make it due to a case, but those nights Will would let himself in with his spare key and crawl into bed with the warm, strong body and try to forget what he had seen. 

But just canceling dinner with a simple; ‘I’m just not up to it.”? Unheard of. 

Will should be less surprised when he opens the door. 

“What are you doing here?” Will asks, sounding tired as he steps away from the door. 

“I wanted to make sure you were all right,” the doctor says, standing in the doorway, feeling unwelcome.   
“Perhaps I should go.” 

“No,” Will shook his head and motioned him in. “You came all this way … and we need to talk.” 

“Talk?” Hannibal frowns as he comes inside. “Has Jack been bothering you about our relationship?” 

“This isn’t about Jack,” Will shakes his head. 

“No,” the older man sighs, feeling as if he already knew that. “I did something to upset you.” 

“No,” Will shakes his head, then manages a smile and shrugs. “Maybe, but you didn’t mean to. It’s not about that either.” 

“All right,” Hannibal says, his tongue running over his lower lip. He isn’t nervous. That would be ridiculous. “Tell me.” 

“Maybe you should sit,” Will says, unsure how to get the words out. 

“I would rather stand.” Hannibal frowns. 

Will opens his mouth but no sound comes out. It isn’t really the words that he is having a hard time with. He can say them. Has been saying over and over to himself for the last week. He says them out loud when he is alone. Now, though, with only two words separating himself and his lover, it is just too real. 

Hannibal has made it quite clear how he feels about children and now … now the doctor will never forgive him for forcing this on him. 

“Will.” Hannibal reminds him that he has been silent for a few minutes. 

“I’m pregnant.” The words are out and hang in the air like a living thing. 

“I had better sit down,” the doctor manages before collapsing on the couch, eyes blank as he stares at nothing. 

Will almost smiles. He doesn’t think anyone has ever seen the doctor look so shocked. Probably no one will ever see it again. It’s bittersweet, seeing the always put together man come undone in his very own living room. 

“You’re …” Hannibal swallows hard and catches his breath. “And it’s mine?” 

“Hannibal!” Will’s voice is rougher than he means it to be. He knows Hannibal isn’t trying to accuse him of infidelity and it’s just the shock talking. 

“Sorry,” Hannibal actually winces as he looks up at him. “I’m … I’m sorry. Did you know? Did you know that you could… that this could happen?” 

“No,” Will frowns. “I wouldn’t have done this on purpose.” 

“Of course not, I know,” Hannibal runs his fingers through his hair and he gets up, deciding to leave before he could say something else rude and hurtful. “I have to go.” 

“Hannibal, no,” Will tries to grab his arm, not wanting him to drive in this condition. “Stay. We should talk.” 

“Yes, talk,” Hannibal runs a hand over his mouth, taking in a deep breath and turning before reaching the door. “We’ll talk. I promise. We’ll talk but not right now.” 

“Hannibal, you can’t-” 

“-Will, please!” Hannibal pulls away. “I … Just give me some time.” 

Hannibal leaves without another word, and Will thinks he might never see him again. 

*** 

It’s the weekend and it’s the first one that they haven’t spent together since they started seeing each other.

It’s also the first time they haven’t spoken to each other in days. Two days. 

Will pulls up to Hannibal’s house and nervously opens the door. He doesn’t know what to expect. Anything ranging from a dead body to an empty house. 

It’s ridiculous and he is quite aware of it, but feels he’s allowed some ridiculousness. He is a pregnant man who, from time to time, eats people and shares a bed with the FBI’s most wanted. Ridiculous thoughts are the least of his problems. 

As ridiculous as the idea of finding Hannibal’s house empty is, it’s only slightly more ridiculous than how he actually finds the doctor’s office. It’s a mess. He has never seen a pen out of place in the neat and orderly house and now he stands shocked as dozens of books cover the desks, couches, and floor next to a less than pristine looking doctor sitting on the floor. 

A jacket, waistcoat, and tie are carelessly flung over a back of a chair. The doctor sits on the floor, legs crossed, a book open on his lap. The first few buttons of his shirt are open and his hair is a slight mess. 

If Will wasn’t in love with him before, he would fall right there and then. He didn’t need to look at the books to know what they were. 

“We have roughly seven and a half months to figure this out,” Will tells him, smiling when the doctor looks surprised to see him. “Isn’t that what you were wearing Friday?” 

The doctor looks down and actually blushes. 

“Today isn’t Saturday, is it?” 

“Please tell me you’ve been eating,” Will frowns and comes to stand over the older man. 

“Yes,” he said, not bothering to elaborate. “I just needed to know.” 

“I see,” Will smiles, eyes passing over the room again. “You could have downloaded the books, old man.” 

“Are you forgetting who taught you to use Skype?” The doctor can’t help but smile. 

“Nobody likes a know-it-all,” Will chastises, sitting down on the floor next to him. “Are you okay?” 

“Am I?” Hannibal shakes his head. “No, I’m definitely not okay, but I have roughly seven and a half months to be okay. I’m more concerned if you’re okay. Your body is going to go through a lot of changes. It’s going to take a mental toll as well as a physical.” 

“You don’t think I can handle it?” Will asks, looking away. 

“I never said that. I’m making you aware. I can’t guarantee it will be easy,” Hannibal takes hold of his chin and pulls until they are looking at each other. He removes the glasses the younger man wore and leans in closer. “I can only tell you I’ll be there. Seven and a half months, then eighteen years after that and then for as long as you’ll have me.” 

“I thought you didn’t want to be a father,” Will can’t help stating. 

“Ah, that,” Hannibal sighs. “It really wasn’t fair to ask in the way you did. I was against the idea of children up to and including the moment you told me. It doesn’t change the fact that now the possibility exists, the idea is starting to become very appealing. Do keep in mind, until I met you, long term relationships were not appealing either.” 

“Oh,” Will manages, sinking down against Hannibal’s shoulder. “I guess I never really wanted children myself. I still can’t believe it’s real.” 

“Well you have roughly seven-” 

“-Shut up,” Will groans. “We’re going to have a baby.” 

“Yes, we are,” Hannibal says, a sad note in his voice. Will can’t help but glance up as the other went on with sigh. “I don’t know how to be a father. I lost mine at a young age, the instructors at the orphanage were nothing more than sadists and my uncle, though he meant well, had never wanted children - much less a teenager on the brink of manhood. I spent more time in the boarding school than with him.” 

Will snakes his hand around Hannibal’s shoulders. “You’ll be a good father. I have yet to see you fail at anything.” 

“Your confidence is touching but much too early,” Hannibal says and relaxes against the other’s shoulder. “I doubt I will find the answers within these books. I’m out of my depths and utterly lost. I will never be a good father.” 

*** 

“No, Daddy!” Hanni sounds panicked and Will looks up from his book just as firm arms grab him and he is pulled into the air. 

Will finds himself nose to nose with Dr. Hannibal Lecter. He glances down and smirks. They are on the coffee table. 

“Papa saved you!” Hanni jumps from the arm of the couch onto the cushions. 

“Saved me?” Will asks, relaxing in the arms that hold him tightly around the waist. 

“Good Will, did you not notice?” The doctor leans over him and Will’s arms come up around the man’s neck all on their own. “The floor is lava.” 

Will chuckles into the kiss. “My hero.” 

The doctor winks at him and then jumps to the couch from the table, grabbing Hanni and throwing him in the air. There are squeals of laughter every time the boy goes airborne. 

“We are in need of more supplies, my young general,” Hannibal tells the boy. “You’ll need to stay with Admiral Daddy until I retrieve them. Are you ready?” 

Hanni gives an excited nod and goes sailing into Will’s waiting arms. 

“We will never forget you,” Will salutes his fiancé and the boy mimics him. 

“Love you, Captain Papa,” the boy giggles from his place in his daddy’s arm. 

They watch the tall man move along the bookcase, jump to a chair and make his way to the table. 

“He’s the best Papa in the whole world,” Will whispers into Hanni’s ear as the older man rolls the chair over to them with a hard shove of his foot. 

“Yeah,” the boy agrees wholeheartedly with a happy sigh. “The best.”

**Author's Note:**

> The fairy tales are a mixture of what my mom read to me and wiki (it's been 20 years!) Not from Lithuania, so hope the stories match up. If not... Oh well, you got to hear some new fairy tales!


End file.
